Fenty Planning Inauguration Party With ... Kanye West?

Everyone's trying to line up big names for inauguration week and sources tell Inauguration Watch that D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) is planning an inaugural party for Sunday, Jan. 18, at the D.C. Armory and that hizzoner has invited hip-hop superstar Kanye West to perform.

Isn't everyone pursuing Kanye, you ask? Well, Fenty, 38, might have an in with West, whom the mayor met at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last August. Fenty was among the crowd that saw West perform at the Exdo Event Center for the ONE Campaign and the Recording Industry Assn. of America. Jamie Foxx also performed before a crowd that included former Va. Gov. (and incoming senator) Mark Warner. (Check out pictures of West and Barack Obama, Joseph Biden and Michelle Obama on West's blog.)

The following day, during Barack Obama's nomination acceptance address at Investco Field, Fenty mingled with West beforehand in the luxury suites. West has not confirmed his appearance at the Armory yet, sources tell us, and there are no details about tickets or the time of the party.

Update: 4:57 p.m.: Fenty was on Bruce DePuyt's NewsChannel 8 talk show this afternoon and DePuyt asked him about Inauguration Watch's Kanye West report. "What we're trying to do is have an event around that Sunday," Fenty said. "No details are finalized yet."

"We saw West at the Democratic National Convention," Fenty added. "He's an amazing performer and he would be a great person to have."

That was the response received by some of Fenty's staff when asked why he refused to take a security detail on his trip to Denver.

In Denver, politicians from other jurisdictions brought along a spouse, legislative aides, chiefs of staff, their communications director or a security guard or two...while Fenty on the other hand used your tax dollars to bring along Veronica Washington.

Ms. Washington's title has bounced back and forth between Fenty's "body person" and/or "deputy chief of staff."

However, Washington has no formal security training, no legislative or management related-education or work experience...nor does she hold a college degree. Yet she was deemed qualified and selected to be a member of Fenty's *executive* staff and is currently paid a six figure salary.

What Ms. Washington does have is a son/family with an extensive criminal history in the DC Courts and a record of using her power within the mayor's office to get members of her family first dibs on low income slots in various housing development projects across the city.

Not sure what Fenty's connection is to this woman, but I really wish someone could get access to some of the BlackBerry text messages between he and Washington...may be of interest to Michelle Fenty as well;)